Defining user-defined data types and/or user-defined methods using an interpreted programming language

Abstract

A database system includes user-defined data types (UDTs) and user-defined methods (UDMs) that are defined by code according to an interpreted programming language (e.g., JAVA, C#, etc.). A virtual machine or other interpreter is provided to execute the interpreted programming language code defining the UDTs and UDMS. An interface is provided between a database and the virtual machine to enable communication between the database and the virtual machine.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for use in a database system, comprising: 
 defining a user-defined data type (UDT) with code according to an interpreted programming language; and    storing a table containing at least one attribute according to the user-defined data type.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising defining a user-defined method (UDM) associated with the UDT with code according to the interpreted programming language.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising executing the UDM with an interpreter.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein executing the UDM with the interpreter comprises executing the UDM with a virtual machine.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein executing the UDM with the virtual machine comprises executing the UDM with a JAVA virtual machine.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein defining the UDT with code according to the interpreted programming language comprises defining the UDT with code according to one of JAVA and C#.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving a Structured Query Language (SQL) statement to create the UDT, the SQL statement specifying a file containing the code according to the interpreted programming language.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising declaring a user-defined method (UDM) in the statement to create the UDT.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising receiving a second SQL statement to create the UDM, wherein the second SQL statement specifies a file containing code to define the UDM, the code according to the interpreted programming language.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 providing an interpreted programming language virtual machine to provide a container for the UDT; and    executing a routine to establish a connection from a database in the database system to the virtual machine.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising providing an interface between the database and the virtual machine.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein providing the interface comprises providing a JAVA native interface.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising receiving a Structured Query Language (SQL) statement to create the UDT.  
     
     
         14 . An article including at least one storage medium containing instructions that when executed cause a database system to: 
 define a user-defined data type (UDT) with code according to an interpreted programming language; and    store a table containing at least one attribute according to the user-defined data type.    
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the database system to define a user-defined method (UDM) associated with the UDT with code according to the interpreted programming language.  
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the database system to execute the UDM on an interpreted programming language virtual machine.  
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein defining the UDT with code according to the interpreted programming language comprises defining the UDT with code according to one of JAVA and C#.  
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 14 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the database system to receive a Structured Query Language (SQL) statement to create the UDT, the SQL statement specifying a file containing the code according to the interpreted programming language.  
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the database system to declare a user-defined method (UDM) in the statement to create the UDT.  
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the database system to receive a second SQL statement to create the UDM, wherein the second statement specifies a file containing code to define the UDM, the code according to the interpreted programming language.  
     
     
         21 . A database system comprising: 
 a storage to store code according to an interpreted programming language; and    a controller to receive a database query to create a user defined data type (UDT), the database query containing a clause identifying a storage location of the code according to the interpreted programming language.    
     
     
         22 . The database system of  claim 21 , wherein the code comprises JAVA bytecode.  
     
     
         23 . The database system of  claim 21 , wherein the code comprises code corresponding to the C# language.  
     
     
         24 . The database system of  claim 21 , further comprising an interpreter to execute the code according to the interpreted programming language.  
     
     
         25 . The database system of  claim 24 , the storage to store second code according to the interpreted programming language, and the controller to further receive a second database query to create a user-defined method (UDM) associated with the UDT, the second database query identifying a location of the second code.  
     
     
         26 . The database system of  claim 25 , the interpreter to execute the second code.  
     
     
         27 . The database system of  claim 26 , wherein the interpreter comprises a virtual machine.  
     
     
         28 . The database system of  claim 21 , the storage to further store a table containing an attribute according to the UDT.